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Chautona Havig

Chautona Havig

Using story to connect YOU to the Master Storyteller

How the Most Annoying Pet Peeves Inspire the Best Stories

by Chautona Havig · 6 Comments

I have a secret to share. Better listen closely, because I’ll only admit to this once.  The ghosts of authors past will haunt me in my nightmares if I dare to do this as it is. But you see, authors aren’t just hyper-creatives who crack open the rooms of their imaginations and allow you a glimpse inside.

Oh, no.

These books… they’re catharsis–that amazing thing that happens when some pet peeve gets under your skin and festers.  So, instead of eradicating said peeve, we welcome it into the inner sanctum of our imagination, offer it a place on the comfiest couch, and ask it to reveal its deepest secrets.

Secrets we then exploit to our hearts’ content.  And, well… for that catharsis thing.  And you know what?  That’s where we get our best stories.

Caveat: This post is purely speculation—my imaginings gone a little wild. Those pesky peeves are really good at that.

How the Most Annoying Pet Peeves Inspire the Best Stories

Note: links may be affiliate links which provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.

Jane Austen’s pet peeve: the idea that women must be emotional, melodramatic, irrational creatures.

So Rough a Course
For a fun speculation as to what happened to Anne’s sister, Elizabeth, I recommend this series! For more about it, check my review HERE.

I imagine a parlor—pretty papers on the wall, but not elegant. Just the kind of papers one would expect of a small, country manor. Miss Austen flings a book aside, dismayed and discouraged by the portrayal of women in books. “The last offered the image of a young lady with little sense and even less courage—inclined to the melodramatic and macabre. And this drivel…”

Her sister offers a comforting smile. “Write a better story, Jane.”

And so it begins. What began as a single satirical novel in the Gothic vein, grows into another as the second character refuses to share the stage with such a silly creature as that Catherine Moreland. “I’ll have to give Sophia her own story. Perhaps the wife of an Admiral. I imagine her with him on every journey, always eager to be by his side.”

“But would a woman find such accommodations agreeable, Jane? Are allowing your indignation too much rein?”

A smile forms as Jane scribbles a note to herself, speaking each word aloud as she does. “Have… someone… question… her… sin-cer-i-ty. She… then… asserts… ‘I hate to hear you talk about all women as if they were fine ladies instead of rational creatures. None of us want to be in calm waters all our lives.’”

L. M. Montgomery’s pet peeve: when people leave the constructive out of criticism.

Anne of Green GablesThe page rustled as, weary and in desperate need of a cup of tea and a sandwich, Lucy turned the paper over to pull forward the next in a thick stack of pages to be edited. Chicken scratches over the surface of the page forced her eyes inward until they crossed.

“I’m as cross as my eyes! Is any word sufficiently grand for this editor? Is the difference between ‘alarming’ and ‘startling’ so very great that I must consider a change? Now if we compared say… languid with… foreboding….” (note… this is adapted from te movie.  Work with me here.)

Lucy swept the stack of papers from her desk and watched the delicious effects of gravity. Most landed on the floor with a satisfying thud—sliding a bit, of course, but rather intact. But the top layers caught a bit of air as they left the surface and floated to the floor in swoops and sweeps reminiscent of a kite in the wind.

“If those scratches were the words of a wife, or husband—a mother or grandmother—they’d have the encouraging effects of Rachel Lynde when riled. I do believe I’d just run away!”

She sat there, arms folded over her chest, pen abandoned on the desk. The rustle of skirts—it would be the new girl. “Mrs. Montgomery, ma’am?”

“Yes, Esther…” Despite every effort, the weariness she felt impregnated itself in both words.

“Oh, your work! I’ll—”

“Leave it, Esther. What did you need?”

This time Lucy’s met the girl’s gaze and she attempted a weak smile. Esther beamed a great, wide smile that seemed to engulf half her face. “It’s just those valancy things that go over the windows? One looks awful faded, ma’am, and the rain’ll be here before it dries…”

“Leave them off, then. I’ve been planning new ones, any—”

But mid-word, Lucy turned, pulled a new sheet of paper from the drawer, and began scribbling a line.

If it had not rained on a certain May morning, Valancy Stirling’s whole life would have been very different.”

Agatha Christie’s pet peeve: when husbands use the mental to cure the physical.

Hercule PoirotThe pen dropped onto the page, as Agatha stared at the insipid words with which she’d just soiled a perfectly innocent piece of paper. Across the room, a newspaper rustled. Without bothering to lower it, Archie Christie cleared his throat and said, “Trouble in paradise, darling?”

“I don’t believe that any rational human being is capable of penning a decent romantic scene when the body demands sustenance.”

“There are biscuits in the tin—and a cup of tea would brace me nicely, as well.”

I imagine it would. I, on the other hand, long for something a bit more substantial. Sausages, or perhaps a beef chop. Yes, that would do nicely.

“Agatha…?”

She set down her pen and moved to retrieve her purse and hat. “I believe I’ll pop on down to Bouchard’s. I’ve a fearful desire for beef.” She gave a scornful look at the blank page waiting for her return. “I’ll never be able to write a declaration worth reading if I don’t fortify myself first.”

“Nonsense.” But despite his protest, Archie stood as if to follow. “It hasn’t been long enough since breakfast for your mind to be weakened with hunger.”

It hasn’t been long enough since breakfast for you to begin your incessant nattering, either.

Aloud, she merely said, “Are you sure my irrational company won’t be too much of a bother…”

“Of course, not. And I do adore Bouchard’s Belgian cream puffs.”

You would think only of sweets. But by the base of the steps, poor Archie had transformed in her mind’s eye. His trim figure ballooned into the gentle swell of a man much accustomed to excellent fare. His bushy mustache thinned, twisted, curled. A certain fastidiousness formed, and in a fit of contrariness, Agatha decided he’d much prefer weak tea—very weak tea.

She paused, turned, and raced back up again. “I’ll catch up to you, darling. I just need to take down this idea of mine.”

For hours, her pen scratched across the page. First a character—then a name Poirot. “He’ll be fastidious—as much as certain other gentlemen of my acquaintance. And he’ll be excessively concerned with the shape of his food…”

As she added another line, Agatha reached for one of the biscuits that filled the little plate beside her.

What is all this with the pet peeves?

Well, as you’ve probably surmised, this week’s topic in my blog challenge was “My biggest pet peeve.” Yeah. I do try, desperately, to roust out all pet peeves and send them to rescue farms in the country where they may grow and flourish without raising my ire and… yeah. Whatever. I didn’t really think you wanted to hear all about how annoying it is when book covers don’t match the insides.

Seriously, though. No matter how amazing a cover is… if the book takes place in winter in a super cold place, don’t show me a girl in a sundress walking hand-in-hand with her fella on a street canopied by green leaves from the trees overhead. Not that I’ve ever had that happen to me.

I still haven’t left that review. As you can see, that’s probably a good thing. Well, that’s all I’ve got for you. Until next week and something about word count. Oh, that sounds scintillating. Woo.

Confession: I just glanced at the scrawl in my planner and seriously thought next week’s blog post prompt said, “How much do good covers matter.”  Ahem.  Maybe it’s bedtime.

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Comments

  1. Laura Hile says

    May 23, 2019 at 7:25 pm

    Chautona! I come over here, intrigued to learn more about your pet peeves — for they are the stuff of inspiration — and as I scroll along, what do I discover but … gasp … my Mercy’s Embrace book cover !!!

    Talk about a jaw dropper! Thanks for the props.

    Filling in white spaces, and reimagining an unexpected “what-if” direction for a story, are what we introverts love doing best.

    Reply
    • Chautona Havig says

      May 23, 2019 at 10:23 pm

      I think you did best what we do with pet peeves–taking a character that no one liked and making her sympathetic. THAT is brilliance, milady!

      Reply
  2. Rebecca Pittman says

    May 29, 2017 at 6:42 am

    Love the sentence “The pen dropped onto the page, as Agatha stared at the insipid words with which she’d just soiled a perfectly innocent piece of paper.” It’s great! And, yes. Book covers should match the story. That’s one of my pet peeves, too. I am hoping building my cover doesn’t take as long as writing my book… Just a question, did you mean to have “Until next week and something about word count. Oh, that sounds scintillating. Woo.” on there twice?

    Reply
    • Chautona Havig says

      May 29, 2017 at 7:09 am

      Thank you for pointing it out. Dad burn it! WordPress has new bug . When I highlight one, it tends to just copy it instead of highlight. Off to get rid of the extra!

      Reply
  3. Lucinda Culp says

    May 29, 2017 at 4:38 am

    Oh, you did it! You set the scene from my very favorite book of all time. I’m pretty sure that’s exactly how “The Blue Castle” was conceived.

    Reply
    • Chautona Havig says

      May 29, 2017 at 7:07 am

      I could just see it!

      Reply

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The Because Fiction Podcast

The Because Fiction Podcast
The Because Fiction Podcast

Taking the pulse of Christian fiction

Episode 145: A Chat with Debut Women's Fiction Author, Sara Brunsvold
byChautona Havig

Debut Author, Sara Brunsvold, is bursting on the Christian Women’s fiction scene with an amazing book, The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip. With characters who have captivated my heart from page one (and enough quirkiness to keep my attention to the last), Sara Brunsvold is sure to become a favorite author, and this book is already on my top five of the year before it’s even released!

Note links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.

This Novel Isn’t Even Available Yet, and It’s in My Top 5!

If you’d told me that I’d fall so in love with two chapters of a book that it would push that book into my top five of the year so far, well… I’d have laughed.

The joke’s on me because it happened with Sara Brunsvold’s The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip. This debut women’s fiction novel has a bit of a split-time element and is set in Kansas City. Trust me when I say that meeting Clara was one of the most fun introductions to a character I’ve ever had. I just love this woman, and I’m drumming my fingers to get to read more about her.  Not surprising considering it won the ACFW Genesis’s award a couple of years back. 😀

Sara says her passion is intergenerational stories, and you definitely get this with Aidyn and her “assignment,” Mrs. Kipp.  But you also get inter-cultural and ideological influences in this book as well.

And then there’s that next book she has coming out.  You know, the one about a gal cooking her way through her grandma’s German cookbook?  Yeah.  The one we have to wait until early 2024 for?  Yeah. That one.  Sigh.

When Sara told us about her favorite authors, a lot of things made sense.  Just sayin’. Find out which of Katherine Reay’s books are her favorites and how she fangirled over Reay’s response to an email (and why you should email your favorite author!).

The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip by Sara Brunsvold

Aidyn Kelley is talented, ambitious, and ready for a more serious assignment than the fluff pieces she’s been getting as a cub reporter for the Kansas City Star. In her eagerness, she pushes too hard, earning herself the menial task of writing an obituary for an unremarkable woman who’s just entered hospice care.

But there’s more to Clara Kip than meets the eye. The spirited septuagenarian may be dying, but she’s not quite ready to cash it in yet. Never one to shy away from an assignment herself, she can see that God brought the young reporter into her life for a reason. And if it’s a story Aidyn Kelley wants, that’s just what Mrs. Kip will give her–but she’s going to have to work for it.

Debut author Sara Brunsvold delights with this emotional multigenerational story that shows that the very best life is made up of thousands of little deaths to self. You’ll want to be just like Mrs. Kip when you grow up!

This book is 40% off with free shipping from Baker Book House. That’s less than the Kindle version if you like paper!

You can learn more about Sara at her WEBSITE (and sign up for that newsletter so you can get Mrs.Kip’s 8 Rules to Live By). Oh, and if she does those videos of her cooking through that book, you’ll want to know when/where to find them.

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Episode 145: A Chat with Debut Women's Fiction Author, Sara Brunsvold
Episode 145: A Chat with Debut Women's Fiction Author, Sara Brunsvold
May 20, 2022
Chautona Havig
Episode 144: Chatting about Restored Grace with Kathleen J. Robison
May 17, 2022
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Episode 143: A Chat with Romantic Suspense Author, Mary Alford
May 13, 2022
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Episode 142: A Chat about A Promise Engraved by Liz Tolsma
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Episode 141: A Chat with Elizabeth Goddard about Critical Alliance
May 3, 2022
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Episode 140: A Chat about When the Meadow Blooms by Ann H. Gabhart
April 29, 2022
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Episode 139: A Chat with Middle-Grade Author, RM Ruiz
April 26, 2022
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Episode 138: A Gush about a Good (more like GREAT) Read & GoodReads
April 22, 2022
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Episode 137: A Chat with Contemporary Romance Author, Mandi Blake
April 19, 2022
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Episode 136: A Chat with Middle-Grade Historical Author, Marie Sontag
April 15, 2022
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Reposted from @beckylewis345 Life can be hard. Ent Reposted from @beckylewis345 Life can be hard. Enter cozies like A Sprinkle in Time by Dana Mentink. Clean, with a sweet romance, whose amateur sleuth runs a delectable shake shop. A dog, a child, precocious twins who work for the shake shop, and lovable Papa Luis. Plus, of course, plenty of suspects. “Murder, mayhem, and milkshakes. Who’d a thunk it?”

Trinidad Jones becomes someone I truly care about in this book. I am amazed at how she and Gabe’s two other former wives forgive each other and actually become friends. Not just friends, but family, as thick as blood. Now there is a small cluster of characters to follow and enjoy in this town of Upper Sprocket. Fun!

I enjoy the inclusion of dogs, children, and special-needs people, and Dana Mentink brings them all to our Shimmy and Shake Shop story. Noodles is old, but what a loyal companion, and, wow, does he have an amazing ability or two! Little  Felice adds warmth and vulnerability to the tale. Doug, the special-needs brother of Trinity’s love interest, Quinn, adds reality and complexity to the novel. 

Mentink has a good sense of humor and I laughed out loud several times. Just what I want out of a cozy. Mystery, romance, great characters, laughter. A fun occupation that the sleuth actually works at. I am happy to report I made it through the book without indulging in ice cream! But, can you?

I am looking forward to more murder and mayhem in Upper Sprocket! Plus more Freakshakes! 

———————————————————————
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit. (I also bought my own copy.) No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
———————————————————————
Notable Quotables:
“He was merely a friend the way a Ming vase was just an old pot.”

“There’s your plan and God’s plan, and your plan…” “Doesn’t count,”

“Maybe it’s one of those weird small-town happenings.” “A body in your trunk isn’t a happening, it’s a horror movie,”

“It wasn’t an easy thing to command the heart to feel what the brain ordered.”

“Rumors carry so much more weight than the truth, sometimes.”
Giveaway on blog in bio.
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Reposted from @celebratelit Did you know that When Reposted from @celebratelit Did you know that When the Pilot Falls by April Hayman from the Ever After Mystery series is 25% off with the Celebrate Lit Summer Sale? 

More about the book: 
In 1923, there aren’t many pilots, but Willie Labeau didn’t let that stop… her.

A bear of a man, Hugh Taylor, needs a stunt plane pilot, and despite their rocky introduction, Willie sets off for golden California and a new life as his pilot. There’s just one little thing she has to do in addition to flying.

Leave his past alone. Period.

When the flame of her own curiosity becomes fanned by encouragement from Willie’s sister, the feisty pilot can’t help but do just a little investigating.

And Hugh vanishes.

Friends rally around her, and with all the information she can find in hand, Willie sets off to rescue Hugh and battle the evil family holding him hostage.

A fierce air race, a sincere act of humility—are they enough to free Hugh and give Willie a chance to be with him… forever?

Find out in this next book in the Ever After Mysteries, combining beloved fairy tales and mysteries. When the Pilot Falls offers a retelling of “East of the Sun, West of the Moon” that will keep you gripped to the edge of your seat as you watch hearts soar and daring dos.

Link in bio! 

#aprilhayman #whenthepilotfalls #everaftermysteries #celebratelit #christianfiction #historicalfiction #bookstagram #bookloversofinstagram #readersofinstagram
Dial W for Wrangler: Vi's just trying to sell used Dial W for Wrangler: Vi's just trying to sell used recliners and old, broken wagon wheels.  She can't help it if folks keep asking for help with their love lives... can she?
See the lengths Wade goes to in his quest to behave like a rational guy.
Releases Tuesday, May 24. Available on 
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How does this author celebrate a finished book? By How does this author celebrate a finished book? By reading someone else's finished book. 😀 
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"Murder, mayhem, and milkshakes. Who'd a thunk "Murder,  mayhem,  and milkshakes.  Who'd a thunk it?"
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